Reno mental health non-profit to cut child psychiatry services

RENO, Nev. (KRNV & MyNews4.com) -- After 14 years in business, a local child psychiatry clinic will discontinue its services.

Mojave Adult, Child and Family Services is part of the University of Nevada School of Medicine. It's a statwide non-profit, and because of lost revenues they're cutting back the services they offer to children in Reno.

"What's most important when you're providing any kind of mental health treatment is consistency," said Mojave Mental Health Site Administrator Les Gruner.

Mojave is currently treating about 180 kids and teens for things like ADHD, depression and obsessive compulsive disorder, but soon Gruner said they'll no longer offer child psychiatric help.

So patients won't be able to get prescriptions but, they'll still be able to get counseling.

"This is the third year of a loss of revenues in that area, so unfortunately we're having to close based on financial reasons," Gruner said.

Adult psychiatric services will continue, but Gruner said they can't afford to keep the children's.

"We can only operate based on the rates that we recieve through Medicaid, so we're kind of held hostage from that standpoint," he said.

Gruner said this isn't a decision they came to lightly.

"We've had a number of kids being served here for 3, 4, 5 years," he said. "So this is going to be kind of a traumatic experience for them to make that change."

So instead of just handing parents a list of other child psychiatrists, they're with meeting local doctors to find good matches.

"[We're] speaking to them individually to see about their capabilities and we're hoping that we'll be able to provide for every one of those patients," Gruner said.

The clinic will remain open to see patients with previously scheduled appointments through the end of June.